Corporate Advocacy Program: The best way to manage and repair your business reputation. Hiding negative complaints is only a Band-Aid. Consumers want to see how businesses take care of business. All businesses will get complaints. How those businesses take care of those complaints is what separates good businesses from bad businesses.

My boyfriend and I were living in Nevada and had a DirecTV account set up on auto-bill pay with my debit card. In the fall of 2012, we found ourselves both unemployed, and our only option financially was to drive across the country and move in with my parents in Pennsylvania.

My parents already had cable, so at the end of October, 2012 I called DirecTV and asked what my options were. The cancellation fee was more than I could afford at the time, and I figured once we both got jobs we would move into our own place again and want to keep our DirecTV. The rep told me I could suspend my account for 6 months, during which time I would not be charged. I agreed to that, and they told me they suspended my account and the charge for October would be the last charge until the suspension was over in June.

In January of 2013, I noticed that DirecTV had deducted money from my bank account in November, December, and January totaling $215. I called immediately, the rep I spoke to said she saw in my notes that I had asked for my account to be suspended back in October, and told me that I would receive a refund credited to my bank account. It is now April 2013, and I still have not seen any refund. I have called almost every week, spoken to reps and supervisors, and my account has been escalated countless times. Everyone I speak to agrees that it was a mistake on DirecTV's part and that I am owed a refund, yet no one seems to be able to actually refund me.

At one point, I was told my only option was to file a bill dispute online, which said I would receive a response within 10 business days. I never received a response.

Most recently, I was told that my issue would be escalated to an Account Manager. I was told that the account manager would have the authority to issue a refund, and that if they called and I wasn't able to answer that they would leave a number with an extension that I could reach them at. An account manager DID call, but gave me no information and the number they left was the general customer service line, no direct extension.

At this point, I am so exhausted with handling this situation that I just want to cancel my account and forget that DirecTV even exists, but then I would be charged a cancellation fee and be out $215 plus another several hundred dollars for canceling. I filed a claim with my bank, but because it was over 60 days they were not confident they would be able to help. I would have filed a claim with my bank sooner, but the reps at DirecTV kept telling me I would get my refund!

I am sending a letter to DirecTV corporate to request a copy of the notes on my account, but I don't know what else I can possibly do. DirecTV is like it's own country with it's own laws, and I've been put in prison there with no explanation of my crime.

Corporate Advocacy Program: The best way to manage and repair your business reputation. Hiding negative complaints is only a Band-Aid. Consumers want to see how businesses take care of business. All businesses will get complaints. How those businesses take care of those complaints is what separates good businesses from bad businesses.

AUTHOR: B McGee - ()

Directv makes lots of promises, but unless they're in writing, you can't believe a word they say.

Also, CHANGE YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBERS! Tell the bank that you did business with a company that isn't scrupulous and they have been wrongly debiting your account. They should willingly send you a new card with new numbers.

Corporate Advocacy Program: The best way to manage and repair your business reputation. Hiding negative complaints is only a Band-Aid. Consumers want to see how businesses take care of business. All businesses will get complaints. How those businesses take care of those complaints is what separates good businesses from bad businesses.